


How To Kick Your Own Ass

by queenbeetle



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: High School AU, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, Oblivious Pining, bully!ukai, not really lmao he tries, ukai is so dumb i love him, wet dreams
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-05-20
Packaged: 2018-06-04 08:40:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6650710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenbeetle/pseuds/queenbeetle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He's sick or something and it's all Takeda's fault. He feels hot, his mind is constantly distracted and when he closes his eyes at night all he can see are possible scenarios between Takeda and him. Some of them take a very strange turn that jolt Keishin from dozing off and leave him sweaty and horribly anxious in his lower gut.</p>
<p>He's gonna kick this kid's ass. Or his own. Or possibly both of their's.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lunch Money

**Author's Note:**

> Hello hello, here’s a high school AU, featuring a confused bisexual delinquent and his boy-crush. This clocked out at around 8000 words somehow haha, it was only suppose to be like two or three chapters at first. I just have a weak spot for disaster bully Keishin yknow.
> 
> ps. Sorry, this first chapter has a lot of set up w/ some OCs I needed to make for Keishin but Takeda is in there too!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello, here’s a high school AU, featuring a confused bisexual delinquent and his boy-crush. This clocked out at around 9000 words somehow haha, it was only suppose to be like two or three chapters at first. I just have a weak spot for disaster bully Keishin yknow.
> 
> ps. Sorry, this first chapter has a lot of set up w/ some OCs I needed to make for Keishin but Takeda is in there too!

"You've gone soft, Keishin."

Keishin looks over at Hayashi, who’s sneering behind his hand bedecked in metal rings. He's got that stupid smirk on his face that means he’s ready to talk shit (and get hit by Keishin) and Keishin hates that face. He hates it because its almost always direct at him for some stupid reason. Hayashi likes starting shit.

"You wanna explain yourself?" Keishin growls to his snickering friends. The tone is no doubt threatening, but he can't hide the curiosity in his voice. What does he mean 'gone soft'? Keishin hasn't gone soft, he's the hardest thing ever and Hayashi could shut his stupid trap.

"Ever since you joined the volleyball team you've totally been acting lame!" Hayashi says. He fiddles with his tongue piercing before giving a wicked grin. "You don't even come on midnight bike rides with us anymore!"

Keishin scowls. Right. Midnight bike rides, or more accurately: midnight harassment of pedestrians and loitering in convince store parking lots. Since joining the volleyball team, his schedule has changed a lot from last year's. Now, he rises with the sun and needs all the sleep he can get; practices are grueling and Keishin barely has enough energy to make it home at night. His grandfather was an absolute spartan when it came to the team, and an outright dictator when it came to Keishin. Eat properly, start muscle training, carry the heavy boxes for your mother, its non stop coaching day in-day out. Deep down though, Keishin lives to impress his grandfather. If he could just once render the old man speechless for just a _moment_ , Keishin could die happy.

"That's 'cause harassing drunk people on bikes got lame." He grunts, "Plus you guys almost broke my leg and wrecked my bike when you pushed me down into the canal!" That was six months ago, but Keishin is still bitter about it. The canal was fucking gross.

His other friend on the right waves his hand and sneers, "Mh, you hear that, Hayashi? Kinda sound like a chicken to me..." Toma grins and leans forward, leering into Keishin’s face.

Keishin sits up straight, squashing his empty carton of milk in his fist, "Shut it, Toma!" He snaps, "I haven't gone soft." He adds with a grumble before putting his suddenly too idle hands to work, pulling up stems of grass from the slight hill in the school's court yard. His ears burn under the penetrating stares from his friends and he hates every bit of it.

"Yeah? Prove it!"

Keishin's mind itches to rise up to the challenge and shut Toma's fat mouth for good (or at least for today), but he needs to stay strong. One more slip-up with the vice principle and he's on probation, not to mention indefinitely banned from club activities. He's less concerned about loosing volleyball than he is about his grandfather's reaction. Hell hath no fury like Ukai Sr. does.

Before Keishin can come up with a retort, Hayshi grabs his head and turns it to look over at the vending machines. Keishin resists, but Hayashi’s grip is strong, his fingers dig into his jaw and squeeze his shaved head like a vice.

"Hey, hey, look over there." He smirks, removing the hand at Keishin jaw and pointing to the student currently standing in front of the vending machines. "Easy pickings. Why don't you go get some pocket change from four-eyes over there?"

Keishin chews the inside of his cheek. The kid does look pretty meek, and the glasses don’t help his case. Bed-head and lame glasses aside, the boy is also small in stature, possibly shorter than Ukai is. He mulls over the possibilities, sizing up the small student and weighing the possible outcomes. To be fair, Hayashi was right, the boy looks like he would be easy to coerce just with Keishin’s stormy disposition.

In the end, pride gets the best of him.

"Whatever." He says with a click of his tongue and brushes Hayashi's hands from his head. "I haven't gone soft." He growls as he rises to his feet before making his way to the vending machines.

Hayashi's and Toma's catcalls only make his irritation prickle more under his skin as he walks across the courtyard and closer towards the unaware student. Keishin needs better friends.

He walks up at an even pace, but slows down once he passes through the breeze way. The boy hasn’t noticed his presence, even when Keishin is just a few steps away, and doesn’t even look up when Keishin clears his throat. His ego wilts slightly, but that only fuels his desire to rustle this kid up. Only when he's crowding the others space does he look up, startled by the first year’s sudden appearance.

Keishin swallows and narrows his eyes, the other student is even smaller up close, and his eyes are wide with surprise. For a moment Keishin is taken aback by how large this kid’s eyes are; they're dark slate in color but as bright as day. Somewhere in his gut Keishin can feel a faint fluttering when he realizes the other's horribly old fashioned glasses are magnifying them, making his thick eyelashes all the more apparent.

"Can- Can I help you?" The boy says. God, even his voice is small, though surprisingly clear in tone.

Quickly, Keishin collects himself and squares his shoulders. ”Yeah." he smirks, pointing to the handful of change the teen is holding. "I'm gonna be needing that."

The bespectacled student blinks and looks down to his hand holding the small coins and furrows his brow.

"You... need this?" He holds up the hand with the change.

"Yeah." Keishin says again, willfully ignoring the way his heart jumped when the other had set him with that strangely cute look of confusion. He leans over slightly and glowers over him, irritated that this kid was already starting to get under his skin.

"Y'see, I don't have nice parents like you do who give me money when ever I want." It's a boldface lie. Keishin's mother, while strict, has a knack for spoiling Keishin, and she definitely always made sure he has something to eat at school.

"So, you're gonna give me that 'cause I need it more than you do." He reasons with a sly smile.

There was a slight pause, and Keishin's sure he's nailed this. He'll get bragging rights for the next two days not to mention upholding his total bad-boy persona he’s worked so hard on.

"Oh! You don't have a lunch!" The boy says with a smile so bright it nearly blinds Keishin. He laughs. He fucking laughs.

"Of course! This is just for a snack for after school, but it's really not that necessary for me." The boy continues, and to Keishin's horror inserts the coins into the vending machine. "I wouldn't want to go through the rest of school on an empty stomach either." He says like its the most obvious thing in the world.

Keishin is rendered speechless for a moment, but quickly regains composure and he sets up to chew this kid out when he’s interrupted.

"You look like a meat bun kind of person." Kill shot. Was Keishin really that easy to figure out? Before he can stop the other, the unnamed student presses the buttons of the machine and receives said meat bun. After retrieving it, he pushes it into Keishin's hands and smiles again.

"Make sure you remember lunch from now on!” He says, clasping his hands behind his back. “Though, I wouldn't recommend eating meat buns everyday." After waving goodbye, he walks off, leaving Keishin speechless still.

He stands dumbfounded for a moment and looks down at the packaged snack. What the fuck just happened.

From behind him he can here Toma’s obnoxiously loud laugh, he doesn't need to look to know that the other is rolling around on the ground, holding his middle from his laughter. Keishin does anyway, stalking back to his friends, his face set with a furious but bright red glare. Toma is still rolling around like an idiot. Keishin really needs better friends.

"Did that kid just buy you lunch? Willingly?" Toma says through his cackling and sits up. "Are you serious?"

Hayashi is snickering behind his hand again and looks over at Keishin as he sits back down.

"So are you two dating now?" He teases, which earns him a swift kick from Keishin.

"Shut up!" Keishin snarls, tearing into the plastic wrap with vigor and rips into the meat bun. He resents how good it tastes.

"That was a fluke! He totally misread the situation!"

"Yeah, what ever you say, softy."

Keishin's ears burn with embarrassed fury and his sulks for the rest of lunch, much to the delight of the two shittiest friends in the world.

He's gonna make that kid pay, and not for his lunch again. He's seriously gonna get back at that nerd and prove that he's just as tough as he was before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did anyone forget that ukai had his head shaved in high school cause i sure didnt


	2. Cigarettes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short 'n sweet. I'm going through finals rn, so i didn't have much time to add/edit this one, but i hope you like it!

Behind the gym is where Keishin catches his afternoon smoke breaks. Technically, he’s suppose to be in English right now, but the nicotine high outweighs his education. Who needed english anyway, Keishin's not going abroad. He’s staying right here in Miyagi and in his goddamn lane. He takes a large inhale and holds it in then leans his head against the wall and closes his eyes for a moment, letting the burn of the smoke cleanse his thoughts from impending anxiousness.

Extensive volleyball practices are cutting into the time Keishin has to do homework, which he needs to start keeping up with if he wants to continue playing. The time that he makes up for studying is when he’s working his shifts in his mother’s shop, which makes him ignore customers accidentally when he’s focusing on reading possibly the most boring books he’s read in his whole life. Things are getting a little hectic, but so far Keishin has managed to keep a firm grip on life.

But that’s before Four-eyes Bedhead comes along to knock him for a loop.

Keishin recognizes the clear voice, but only after he lets the smoke from his lungs out in hacking coughs, completely bewildered by the sudden company. Where the hell did this kid come from? Why the hell was he behind the gym of all places? Question fly around Keishin's rattled brain as whips around to face the other.

Four-eyes is just as Ukai remembers him: small, doe-eyed and now he realizes, ever so faintly freckled under his glasses. His heart is pounding not just from the shock, but for some other terrifying reason Keishin does _not_ want to put a name to. Instead of barking out insults like he had planned, Keishin just stares at the other with an intense gaze, unable to put thought into word (and possibly scared he would say something he really, _really_ doesn’t want to). Bed-head jumps back, holding his hands up and looking a little frantic.

“Oh god, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you like that!” He says quickly, reaching his hands out to Keishin tentatively. "Are you okay?"

“Wh-What d'you want?” Keishin rasps out, leaning up from his doubled over position and glaring at the other.

“I just, uh…” The boy gulps before putting his hands back down and furrowing his brow slightly, “I said you shouldn’t smoke those here.” He says, his voice just a little hesitant.

Keishin narrows his eyes and stands fully up, leaning back against the brick wall again. After taking a long, defiant drag from his cigarette he blows it out through his nose and mouth when he says: "Oh yeah? And why's that?" The smoke envelops the other student, but to Keishin's disappointment his reaction is minimal, restricted to just the wrinkling of his button nose.

The other squares his shoulders, the little punk, and look intently at Keishin. He was probably trying to go for a tough look, but to Keishin it ends up looking kind of cute. In his defense, the boy is pouting ever so slightly and him trying to appear larger in general just seemed laughable.

“For starters, a teacher could find you here,” He says pointedly, and looks up at Keishin with those big, round, dumb eyes. “But more importantly, it's very bad for you health.”

Keishin nods slowly, taking another big inhale from the cigarette between his fingers. He holds it in, giving the other teen a once over before breathing out, again not bothering to turn away, and again gets no reaction. The kid seems unfazed by the smoke, or by Keishin's cavalier attitude. His ego wilts slightly at that, but it only eggs him on to be even more uncooperative.

“That so?” He drawls, “Gee, thanks mister, I didn’t think of that at all.”

He rolls his eyes and turns away from the other, taking his cigarette from his mouth to tap the ashes off.

“Tell me again, why the hell I should do what some stranger tells me to?” He adds with a smirk, placing the cigarette back in his mouth, holding it between his teeth. For a moment the boy is silent, and Keishin’s sure he’s got this, Doe-eyes will leave him alone, totally frazzled by Keishin’s amazing sarcasm. Instead he’s startled by a sudden and deep bow from the other.

“My name is Takeda Ittetsu! Its nice to meet you!” The boy cries out, louder than really necessary.

Keishin pauses, looking wide eyed down at the student, still bent over in a formal bow.

“U-Ukai Keishin…” he says out of habit. This kid was really under his skin now, this was the second fucking time Keishin’s been outrageously taken aback by the other's infuriating politeness. What the hell was up with this guy? When Ittetsu springs back up, he has a wide but slightly mischievous grin on his face.

“Now we aren’t strangers anymore.”

 _Shit_.

"You- wait, look, you..." Keishin stutters angrily for a second, trying to organize this thoughts enough to string together a coherent sentence.

"Whatever!" He settles on, "Just get out of my face!"

Takeda is still smiling (Keishin can't figure out if he hates it or if he wants to see more), and he quickly ducks his head for a more casual bow.

"Please listen to my advice, Ukai-kun."

Kun? Is this brat serious? He got to be younger than Keishin but he just tacked on a goddamn junior suffix to his name!

"If you don't, I'll just keep giving it to you." Takeda continues with a chuckle, like this is a fucking joke. Keishin is going to kick this kid's ass.

Except that he doesn't. He just stands there like an idiot while his cigarette quickly burns down to the filter and let's Takeda walk away with an annoying spring in his step. Keishin's thoughts are too occupied with the perfect storm of anger and bewilderment that comes with thinking about Takeda. Something has got to be seriously wrong with him because his heart can't stop racing and he feels like he's going to throw up butterflies.

God damnit, this kid is gonna pay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey buddy, its ok. gay thoughts are really confusing when you don't know ur bi. just except ur fate my guy


	3. Homework

This was it. This was Keishin's chance. He was going to simultaneously humiliate and scare the shit out of dumb-face-doe-eyes this time. Which is not at all what Keishin has secretly been calling Takeda, because from now on, everyone will be calling him Take- _chan_.

His plan was perfect: find this fucker at lunch, introduce the new nickname and force him to complete Keishin's homework, or _else_ (Keishin hasn't figured out what 'or else' would be yet). He runs his hand over his hair, which he had grown into a neat crew cut.

Since Takeda hadn't at all seemed fazed by his appearance (much to his ego's disappointment), Keishin decided he needed an image change, something that would intimidate a scrawny nerd like Takeda. Keishin had thought long and hard while looking into the mirror, deciding what Takeda would think was scary, or at the very least noticeable. He exchanges the small studs in his left ear for slightly larger metal hoops, thick enough to be apparent, then changes the hoodie he wears under his uniform to a thin white t-shirt that may or may not have been a little form fitting.

He'd better appreciate this.

Nope, wrong choice of words, Keishin chastises himself with flushed cheeks. Intimidated. He'd better be intimidated.

Keishin stalks around the school, searching for Takeda. He really hopes he isn't the type of person to eat inside since making a ruckus in a classroom could possibly land him in detention and possible suspension from volleyball. The threat of his grandfather’s punishment is almost enough to dissuade Keishin from this search all together, but the burning desire to rile Takeda up consumes him night and day. Its actually making it hard to sleep. Like, _really_ hard to sleep.

Keishin grits his teeth, clutching the homework in his hand hard enough to crumple the left side severely. He's sick or something and it's all Takeda's fault. He feels hot, his mind is constantly distracted and when he closes his eyes at night all he can see are possible scenarios between Takeda and him. Some of them take a very strange turn that jolt Keishin from dozing off and leave him sweaty and horribly anxious in his lower gut.

Fuck this. Fuck him. No, don't fuck him that not at all what he wants to do, God get it together, Keishin-

"Ukai-kun!"

Keishin is snapped from his over-active thoughts and lurches to a stop just as he's about to run into Takeda.

Speak of the devil.

For once Takeda looks taken aback. He's a little flushed and his pouted lips are parted, showing just a hint of his pink tongue. Large eyes give Keishin a once over and his swallows thickly.

"I- uh, I didn't see you there, and uh..."

The reaction from Takeda is small, but it makes Keishin's ego swell to see that his image change had worked on some level. For once in his life, Keishin is slick. He uses the closeness between them to his advantage and leans over Takeda, grinning maliciously.

"You should watch where you're going _Take-chan_." Keishin leers. "You're gonna get hurt like that."

Takeda's nods stutter slightly and he opens his small mouth to say something, but is cut off sharply by Keishin.

"You're gonna do something for me, Take-chan." He smirks, slapping the handful of papers to the other's chest and pushes a little bit, making Takeda stumble back. Before the papers have a chance to fall, Takeda grabs them and tears his eyes away from Keishin to look at them.

Keishin watches Takeda's brow furrow, and the awkward silence permitting the air makes him falter ever so slightly. Takeda looks like he's seriously considering this as he reads over the partially answered questions and flips through the rest of the packet.

"Ukai-kun, you're very bad at English."

Keishin's face flushes faster than he's really comfortable with.

"What? No-just, that's not the point-!"

"So, you need me to help you study?" Why the hell does he look so happy all of a sudden? Why was he grabbing Keishin arm? Why the _fuck_ is Keishin letting himself be pulled by this prick to the benches by the side entrance to the school? 

Keishin is helpless to do anything other than let Takeda sit all too close to him and listen to him prattle on about English. He really tries to be angry, but those stupid butterflies are back in his stomach when he feels Takeda press against his side, settling the packet of paper on either of their thighs.

"I'm actually glad you came to me with this, Ukai-kun."

Stop using that suffix. Or don't.

"I'm actually a tutor!"

Of course he is.

"I like English a lot, and I'm a third year, so this is pretty easy for me."

What?

Keishin jerks away and stares at the other incredulously.

"You're a third year?" He chokes out. How could this be? He was so small that Keishin could probably bench press him if he wanted to (secretly he does) and his face is so young looking, not to mention his voice which sounds like it hasn't really broken yet. It's those occasional cracks in Takeda’s voice when he says Keishin’s name that keep him awake at night.

"Is that surprising?" Takeda laughs heartily and leans back, "Don't worry, a lot of people think I'm younger than I actually am." He giggles and rubs the back of his neck, “You know, there was a child I was tutoring a year ago who also called me Take-chan, since he thought I was a junior high schooler.”

Keishin's insides curl with the knowledge that he's acting on an elementary schooler level. Why the hell did he pick Take-chan for a nickname out of all things? He needs a doctor, or a psychiatrist or something because he's clearly unable to keep his thoughts from scattering when he’s with Takeda.

"It's sort of... It just sort of made sense..." Keishin mutters, trying to reason with himself more than Takeda. "It's not like I was thinking too hard about it!" Total lies.

Takeda nods and thankfully drops the subject, instead pointing to the packet and diving into the impromptu tutoring session. He speaks eloquently, and his accent is worlds better than Keishin’s own, Takeda is just as good at this Keishin expected he'd be. They’re halfway through the homework when Takeda looks at Keishin with a smile so gentle, he feels like he's melting.

"You know, I knew you weren't as mean as you looked." The phrase needles Keishin's core with bubbly embarrassment.

"You have a scary exterior, but to be honest, ever since I first saw you, I knew you were a caring person."

Keishin swallows thickly and pushes the rising butterflies back down into his gut.

"What do you mean by that?"

Takeda takes a moment to think before setting down his pen.

"Truthfully, before I bought you lunch, I'd see you every day after school." He explains, "You seem really passionate about volleyball. I don't know anything about it, but watching you play sort of inspired me to learn." Takeda is pink in the cheeks now and avoiding eye contact with Keishin. "To be completely honest, I wish I had joined the volleyball team instead of Literature Club because of you..."

Keishin blinks and blurts out the first thing that comes to mind.

"Are you trying to seduce me or something?"

The reaction is instant, Takeda jumps so far away from Keishin that he would have toppled off the bench if not for Keishin's quick hand grabbing the front of his uniform and jerking him back like he weighed nothing. Which to Keishin, he almost didn't. Seriously, did this kid even go through puberty?

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, that wasn't-uh! I'm sorry, I-" Takeda splutters, throwing up his hand and shaking his head wildly.

"Stop, no, I didn't mean it like that." Keishin says quickly. The two of them are bright red and sweating in the late spring heat.

"I meant like, uh. Like, are you trying to be friendly. Or uh, trying to make me be nice to you or something." Keishin tries to correct his previous statement, but it's too late. His heart is in his throat and he's seriously going to be sick if his stomach keep flipping as violently as its doing now. He can't take back that stupid choice of words and this has become a complete and total disaster.

Keishin jumps up and takes a couple steps back and stammers, "I'll uh- I'll see you around, Take-chan. I mean, Takeda! Just uh-" For fuck's sake. _Pull. It. Together._

"Bye!" He yelps before wrenching the side door open and hurtling through it. His legs quickly carry him to the boys bathroom by his classroom and he shoves his way past the door to the sinks. After three minutes of constant ice cold water on his face, Keishin looks up into the mirror, his palms tugging his cheeks downwards.

This was stupid. This was so fucking stupid and it's all his fault. He just had to let Takeda take over his life and he just _had_ to say the very one thing he should not have said. It was just a misunderstanding. It shouldn't have even been this dramatic, but of course, Keishin couldn't have it any other way. God, he was so goddamn stupid sometimes.

He was in too deep now. Something in his gut was stirring, and those damn butterflies had multiplied, nearly ready to lift Keishin five feet above the ground. What was happening to him? The last time he felt this way, it was when he'd Karasuno's girls uniform for the first time.

Deep down he knows what this is, but for now he can't think about it. Won't think about it. Keishin was a man who liked cute girls and kicked ass.

Even if it was his own ass he was kicking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can't catch me gay thoughts!!! too bad ukai they already have


	4. Harassment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guys, thank you so much for your lovely feedback, i seriously get super excited when i see them!! u guys are the best ty ty ty!

_"Ukai-kun..._ "

It's said so softly, almost breathlessly. The voice is bordering on pleading and its sets Keishin's skin on fire.

" _Ukai-kun._ "

There it is again. That voice. It's so familiar, yet Keishin can't place where he's heard it before. It's closer now, maybe above him? Beside him? Keishin can't tell.

He can't see, can't move, but for some reason he isn't bothered by it. It feels more like the peaceful time between wakefulness and sleep where your body is heavy, unable to move but in a way that's pleasant. While his nerves are alive with crackling electricity, his body feels like it's floating and being pressed down simultaneously. It's really nice actually.

" _Ukai, please..._ "

That voice is making him come undone, building Keishin up and breaking him back down time and time again. He feels in it his ear, soft and hot breaths making his head spin and his body tingle. He wants to hear it again, _needs_ to hear it again.

The weight above him gets heavier and more distinct in its placement, it's like something is sitting just above his hips. Blindly, Keishin's sluggish hands move to grab at whatever it is, and is rewarded by the voice again.

" _You're incredible_ " comes the voice. " _You're doing so well, Ukai-kun…_ “

With each sentence he feels the fire inside him build until it's white hot, consuming him in the best possible way. He doesn't know what's happening but he doesn't want it to stop. What ever it is, it's the best fucking thing he's ever felt in his life, and he wants to milk it for all its worth.

 _"Ah- Ahh!"_ It's high pitched and breathy now, and the weight moves to his chest, pressing him down into the softness below him. He's going to snap, going to blow, he can feel the wave crashing through him violently and is helpless to stop it.

" _Keishin!_ "

Keishin wakes with a start, jumping up to lean back against his elbows. His heart is beating a mile a minute and his body still feels tingly from his dream, but he can't appreciate the after glow with the terrible, ice cold pit in his stomach. He knows that voice. He knows it very well.

Keishin lays back down covering his face with his hands and groaning. He waits a moment before lowering his hands and slowly lifts up his heavy blanket. It isn't his sweat that makes his boxers cling to his thighs, it's something much worse.

"Fuuuck..." He groans, slamming his body back against his futon and covering his red hot face with his arms.

"Fuck!!"

* * *

The midnight breeze is thankfully cool on his skin. Even when getting dressed and wiping himself down Keishin's skin had still felt like it was burning, but the cool night air was quickly remedying that.

As Keishin rides his bike up and down the neighborhood, he remembers why midnight bike rides had been so appealing at first. The stillness of night made it easier to breath somehow, and his head was as clear at the night sky above him. Finally he's able to take a hard look at himself without the crushing anxiety of keeping face and holding up his built up delinquent persona getting in the way.

When he does, Keishin realizes something.

Girls were really great. Breasts, dainty limbs and curvy lines were just a few of the many things he really appreciated about the opposite sex, not to mention the maturity girls seemed to posses about them. Even the ones who could screw around like Keishin and his friends always seem smarter, more aware of themselves and their surroundings. Girls were honestly a gift from God in Keishin's mind.

Though now, he starts to come to terms with the persistent tickling the back of his head that he's always ignored. When he first laid eyes of the Captain of the volleyball team, he had chalked up the excitement he felt to acknowledgement of skill or his love of volleyball. Now, he realizes that he's always snuck glances at his teammates, looking at the defined lines of their muscles and the gentle curves in their spines for reasons unclear to him at the time. Before he'd reason it with envy or just appreciation of the dedication to volleyball they clearly showed, but now it was different. Now, everything seemed to click for Keishin.

Somewhere he'd heard about this kind of thing, though he's not sure where. Of course everyone knew what homosexuality was whether they approved of it or not, but no one had ever talked to him about being halfway straight and half way gay before. It's confusing and hard to understand, but somehow it feels right with him. It puts a name to a lot things Keishin couldn't explain or even realize until now.

Sighing heavily, Keishin skids around a corner and bikes alongside the gross canal that he was uncomfortably acquainted with. Down this road there were a few liquor stores, general supplies shops and plenty of convenience stores that stayed open late. Keishin's been banned from a couple and knows the area well from biking around it with his friends. Before, he'd be joined by Hayashi and Toma, and biking around in the dead of night became wild rather than relaxing. Even if sneaking beers from his family's shop and getting a good laugh from drunk salarymen had been fun, now it all sort of seems different. Immature. It had become a burden after volleyball, which is why he stopped doing it all together.

Though when he rounds the next corner, he sees the people he had been thinking about and who he very much did not want to see when he started out that night.

Toma and Hayashi are close to a tall stone fence, cornering some poor pedestrian with their bikes. Keishin would have just biked past them, or turned down another street if he hadn't also recognized the person cornered against the stone gate by the two high schoolers.

Takeda's shoulders are squared, his body stiff either with fear or anger or perhaps both. As Keishin rides closer, he sees a carton of eggs smashed around his feet and a milk jug that's been broken and spilling out over his worn tennis shoes. It shouldn't have bothered him, this was what he was trying to do the whole time, wasn't it? Somehow, it sets Keishin ticking and he slows down when he comes up to the group.

"Please..." Takeda says, looking down and balling his fists. "I just want to go home." His voice wavers in a way that makes Keishin's blood boil.

"You gonna cry?" Hayashi sneers, "Over spilled milk? What a wimp!" He kicks the one unbroken egg at Takeda which shatters against his ankle. Takeda doesn't move, doesn't say anything to defend himself. He stays looking down, and repeats his previous statement, trying hard to keep his voice steady.

"Hey..." Keishin growls, skidding to a stop just short of Hayashi's bike. "What's going on?"

"Oh, hey Keishin!" Toma grins and leans over his handlebars. "We caught this sucker tryna sneak home."

"Mmh." Hayashi nods in agreement, "Wasn't this the kid you were trying to intimidate?" He asked, rolling his tongue around the piercing there. "We caught him for ya', Keishin!"

A storm breaks out in Keishin, whipping his thoughts into a frenzy and tingeing his sight with red.

"Go home." He growls, staring straight at Hayashi.

"What?" Hayashi says it like a question, but there's spite in his words. "What are you talking about?"

"You can hear, right?" Keishin asks, throwing his leg over his bike and stalking towards his classmate. "I said go fucking home."

Hayashi snorts and leans back, looking aloof, but his voice quavers. "Are you serious? You really have gone soft, you gay-by."

Keishin's nostrils flare and he clenches his fists. It takes every bit of strength for him not to deck Hayashi's smirking face right then and there.

"Hey, Hayashi..." Toma pipes up from behind him, anxiously looking between the two. "He looks serious..."

"That's 'cause I am, Toma!" Keishin snaps, taking an abrupt step forward. "Get the hell out of here!"

The two student stand for a moment, shocked by Keishin outburst. The silence combined with Keishin's anger is thunderous in their ears, crackling with the growing tension.

"Whatever." Hayashi clicks his tongue and knocks up kickstand on his bike. "Come on, Toma. Looks like Keishin likes his new boyfriend more than us."

As Hayashi rides off, Toma pauses briefly. He looks nervous, but he quickly waves to Keishin before following his friend, calling for him to slow down. Only when the two round a dark corner does Keishin turn to Takeda, who's still standing stock still against the wall.

"Sorry about that." Keishin mutters, bending down to pick up the wrecked carton of eggs. "They can be dicks."

He sees Takeda's Adam’s apple dip down when he gulps. The other still isn't moving, even when Keishin holds out the useless carton. It makes his skin prickle and shame quickly wells up in him. Takeda has every right to be mad. He should be furious, knocking the empty carton out of Keishin's hands or yelling at Keishin to leave him alone.

He doesn't do any of those things.

Takeda reaches out and hesitantly takes the carton, his hand quaking as he does. The deep breath he'd apparently been holding is let out, just as shaky as his limbs.

"Thank goodness." He whispers, "I really thought they were going to hurt me just then."

Keishin grits his teeth and rubs the back of his neck. He wants to say something, say anything, but he can't find the words. He should apologize for being friends with such shitty people, or offer to buy new groceries for Takeda, but it all gets caught up in his throat. He feels like shit. Worse than shit.

"Thank you for helping me." Takeda breaks the silence and smiles at Keishin. He feels his face go hot with that, and can't tell tell difference between shame and nervousness anymore. All his emotions are flung together in one gross lump in his throat that he can't seem to dislodge. Why is Takeda thanking him? Keishin wants him to be angry with him, be upset that Keishin had been trying to mess with him this whole time, but he's still smiling.

"Yeah." Is all he manages to say.

Again the pause is thick, the tension growing awkward and making the both of them fidget. Keishin's skin continues to prickle uncomfortably with the need to break it, to say something that won't make him out to be a complete ass.

"I'll walk you home." He blurts out, a little louder than he needs to be. He watches Takeda blink those big doe-eyes of his and the corners of his mouth turn up into a more genuine smile.

"I'd like that."

* * *

 

On their way to Takeda's place they talk school and volleyball. At some point Keishin starts to tell Takeda about his part time job and how his grandfather is always on his back about something. It makes Takeda laugh which sends Keishin's heart into a fluttering mess. Though, instead of pushing it down, ignoring it or replacing it with some other emotion, Keishin lets it take over his whole body. He feels lighter than air and giddy in Ittetsu's presence. He's blessed with the other's smile and laughter which soon becomes music to his ears. This is nice. Midnight and Takeda go well together.

"So why were you out here in the first place?" Keishin asks, "At this time this place is crawling with deviants like me."

Takeda chuckles and nudges Keishin. "You aren't a deviant." He says before explains himself. "My mother caught a bad cold the other day, so she's stuck in bed. My dad ended up having to do groceries, which he's really bad at, and forgot a few things."

"Eggs and milk? Aren't those like, the staple of grocery shopping?"

"That's what I said!" Takeda leans his head back, letting loose another one of those laughs that Keishin is soon craving. "I wanted to surprise her with breakfast, but you know..."

Keishin looks away from Takeda, his insides still twisting with remaining guilt.

"I'm really sorry about those two." He mutters. "They're kind of terrible. Hayashi is a dick and Toma just follows along with him." Keishin sighs heavily and fiddles with the resistance dial on his bike's handlebars.

"I don't know why I still hang out with them, honestly." He admits, kicking a pebble as they walk. "All they do is make fun of me for playing volleyball these days and it really sucks."

"You should stop, then." Takeda says like it's an easy feat. "You shouldn't spend time with people who make fun of something you're passionate about."

"You make is sound so simple." Keishin scowls. "It's hard ditching friends you've had since you were a kid. Plus I'd have no one to sit with at lunch."

"You could sit with me." Takeda says after a pause. "You should sit with me."

Keishin gulps and forces a smile off his face. He'd like that. He'd like that a lot.

They don't speak again until they reach Takeda's house. Keishin whistles when he sees the size of it and comments on its western style.

"Oh, my dad liked traveling to America, and he got a little obsessed." Takeda says, rocking on his heels. He's smiling coyly, like he's hiding some big surprise for Keishin. For a moment it's still, but the air isn't at all awkward. In fact, it's so calm that Keishin feels more at ease now than he has all night.

"I want to see you again." Keishin says quietly. His ears are as red as his cheeks, but for once he doesn't care. "You know, like this. I like being out at night, and being with you feels good." He lets the words tumble from his mouth, unable to stop them. Keishin looks down at his feet, afraid that he's said something strange again. He wants to be collected and thoughtful with Takeda, but he can't help being flustered when the other is so close to him.

He looks up to see Takeda smiling wide and just as red as he is.

"I'd like that a lot, Keishin." He whispers. He then leans forward and presses a swift kiss to Keishin's cheek, which he swears leaves a burn mark in its wake.

And like that Takeda is gone, rushing up the front walk and into his house, leaving Keishin star struck and full of helium. He can't help grinning on his ride home, and dreams of that little kiss all night.

He swears he's going to get Takeda back for that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takeda probably had Keishin figured out in no time lmao. But I think he also had a hard time figuring his thoughts out about having a crush on a first year yknow. It's not all that much of an age difference, but in highschool it's kinda weird. In the end tho gay thoughts always catch u


	5. Breaking and Entering

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wrote this originally as an epilogue, but with out it this whole thing doesn’t really have closure. this takes place a few months after the last chapter, sometime in mid fall. Tbh this was my favorite one to write because it's pretty much idiots in love lmao

Takeda's house is really nice. It's sort of western in style and made of painted brick and stone. There's even a chimney around back that often is in use on some of the colder nights. Everything from the gutters to the driveway is free of debris and plant overgrowth too; the immaculate gardens around the house are stunning which had made Keishin wonder if they had hired some sort of landscaper. Ittetsu has told him though, that since his mother stays at home, she makes herself busy with yard work while his father takes care of the inside chores. It's a little strange to Keishin, but now that he's looking at the end result, he can only applaud the woman's green thumb.

Or, he would have if he had not been crouching between her wild forsythia bushes with sharp twigs and thorny undergrowth scraping up every unclothed inch of Keishin's shins and arms. Due to the perfect care of the yard, there weren't really any good hiding places save for these thick flower bushes and the thorny weeds below them. Seriously, she must have been cutting corners when weeding or something because this really sucked.

Keishin winces as he feels another thorn dig into his knee, definitely breaking skin. He repeats a mantra of 'it's worth it, it's worth it' as he settles uncomfortably deeper into the bush and peeks over to check on the downstairs lights in the house. Even at midnight, they're still on which is unusual for the Takedas. In the past, Ittetsu's parents were out like a light by ten, eleven at the very latest.

Chewing his lip, he strains his neck to look at Ittetsu's window on the second level of the house. It's around the back portion and it's hard to get a good look at from here, but Keishin doesn't want to risk being caught sneaking around in his attempt to get a clearer view.

After twenty more minutes, Keishin's hopes have waned. He sighs and checks his phone before gingerly getting on to his knees. They'd have to try another night, a night where Ittetsu's parents kept to their schedule and he would be free to clamber up to his boyfriend’s window andlay next to him for a couple blissful hours. Just as Keishin is getting ready to leave, he hears the familiar clack and squeak of Ittetsu's window opening. From here, he can just barely see Ittetsu lean out, placing his hands into the roof just outside his window to look around.

Keishin bites the bullet and makes a dash for the large woodpile right underneath the window and looks up.

"Keishin!" Takeda whispers, leaning farther out, craning his neck to look down at him.

"They're watching a movie, I don't know when they're going to go to bed." He continues, leaning back and settling his weight over his crossed forearms.

Keishin chews the inside of his cheek and looks up, weighing his possibilities. On one hand, sneaking in when the other's parents were awake was risky, but on the other, Takeda's all ready for bed, tucked into matching pajamas and looking absolutely divine in the moonlight.

"I'm coming up." He hisses before carefully scaling the wood pile, grabbing the thick ivy against the side of the house for added support. From above he can here Takeda's hushed protests, and in looking up he see's the other practically halfway onto the roof with his arms outstretched.

Just as Keishin manages to hook one leg past the gutter, he can feel Takeda's hands fist in his jacket and yank him up. It's just in time too, when the wood log he's precariously standing on gives way and tumbles down the side of the pile, loud cracks and thuds resounding in the still night as more follow.

If that hadn't been loud enough to get the attention of Itettsu’s parents, the force from Takeda pulling Keishin through his window that make both of them fall back into the floor surely would be. For a moment they freeze, panic flooding both their bodies. At any moment, Itettsu's parents could come up here, burst through his door and discover them. With Keishin currently straddling Itettsu's waist and the other's hands gripping tight in his jacket, Keishin wouldn't be surprised if they actually threw him out the window he had just come through.

But after a few minutes of deathly silence, there's nothing. The two of them sigh heavily with relief and relax, Ittetsu laying back down in the floor and covering his eyes with his arm.

"I really wish you wouldn't use the log pile way." He says, lifting himself onto his elbows and fixing Keishin with a scolding look.

"Yeah, well the ivy isn't strong enough for me to climb yet." Keishin counters, leaning over Ittetsu and grinning, "You want me to just use the front door?"

It earns him a playful slap, and he lets Ittetsu roll him over so that he can wriggle free from Keishin. He leans against the side of his bed and curls his hand into Keishin's, looking down at the younger like he's just seen the most pleasant thing known to man.

"You ready?" He says with a coy smile, ducking his head slightly.

"Oh, hell yeah." Keishin grins, quickly rising to his feet and pulling Ittetsu with him. With ease he lifts and throws his boyfriend into the plush mattress the way he knows Ittetsu likes. He crawls over the other, kissing his neck and jaw before settling over him, pressing their foreheads together. In Ittetsu's arms, Keishin finds himself pulling closer, pressing their bodies as tightly together as possible. They fit so perfectly against one another, that Keishin distantly wonders if they were made for each other.

He leans to the side, supporting himself with his elbow and tugging Ittetsu even closer to him for a kiss. When they break apart, he leans back, letting the other settle comfortably on his chest. Keishin kicks up the heavy duvet cover and pulls it up so that only the top of their heads are showing. When under the thick blanket they can pretend that they're alone, isolated from the rest of the world in each other's arms.

Takeda fits his head under Keishin's chin and he reaches over him to grab his phone.

"How long do you think you should stay?" He asks quietly, flicking over to the clock application. "It's already almost one o'clock..."

Keishin sighs and wraps his arms around Takeda's middle. He wants to stay all night, possibly forever. He'd be okay with hiding under Ittetsu's bed all day if it meant he'd get to cozy up with him like this every night.

"Forty-five minutes maybe. Or an hour."

"I'll set it for an hour."

Keishin isn't aware of the tiredness in his bones until Takeda comes back, resting his head on the swell of Keishin chest and throws a leg over his own. Keishin is actually really tired, but he can't fall asleep right now. He wants to soak up this time with Ittetsu, watch the way he dozes off and memorize all the ways his boyfriend's face looks without glasses and relaxed with sleep.

"You're a regular Prince Charming..." Ittestu huffs a small laugh, drawing little patterns with his finger on to Keishin's chest.

"What? Why d'ya say that?" Keishin asks, honestly surprised.

"Well, doesn't Prince Charming always have to climb through some window to get to his princess?" Takeda explains, looking up and resting his chin on the younger’s chest. "Plus you had to evade certain death!"

Keishin rolls his eyes and pushes Takeda's head down as he ruffles his hair.

"I guess." He says gruffly, "I don't know if I'm Prince Charming, though. More like a handsome thief here to steal the prince away." He grins, pulling back Takeda's bangs. "Y'know, and teach him about all the darker things in life."

"And what would those things be?"

"Oh you know, sneaking out, making out, learning about how much the Prince likes begging." He smirks. Ittetsu flushes and pinches Keishin's side indignantly.

"That was one time!" He protests.

"It was _not_ just one time." Keishin deadpans, "You do it a lot, actually."

"I do not!"

"Do too."

"Do not!" Takeda rises up, attempting to glare at Keishin with his face flushed beet red. Keishin grins and reaches up to pinch Takeda back, tugging his cheek in the process.

"Please, Keishin!" he says in an imitating whine, "Oh Keishin please, I like it! More, _please_ Keishiii-" Takeda's pillow being shoved into his face cuts him off abruptly.

After tugging it away, Keishin looks up, smiling wolfishly. Takeda is still red and pouting, and avoids his boyfriend's gaze.

"I only do it because you keep making me..." He mumbles, hiding his face in Keishin's pectorals. "Pervert."

"You started it. Plus, your face just makes me want to tease you, so it's not my fault." He laughs, jostling Ittetsu from his place.

"Well, I'm not the pervert who gets off on making good people like me beg." Takeda huffs, lifting his chin.

"I'm not a pervert!" Keishin insists, nudging the other with his leg, "I just like to give you what you want when you get all needy."

"Insistent." Ittetsu corrects. He settles back down, now resting his head against the others shoulder and smiles. "Perhaps we're both perverts."

"Nah, just insatiable."

“Oh, good vocabulary." Here he goes with the praising, even now. Takeda chuckles and nods, "I like the sound of that."

Keishin hums in reply, closing his eyes and letting his tiredness get the better of him, settling into the soft mattress of Ittetsu's bed and he holds his boyfriend close. It's so warm and safe that he seriously wants to stay there forever. The two lapse into comfortable silence, listening to each others slowed breaths as they doze off.

All too soon, Ittetsu's alarm is buzzing, pulling them both back from sleep and reminding them of where they were.

Keishin holds on tight as Ittetsu tries to wriggle free. His face is scrunched up into a frown, trying hard to hold onto the the remaining bits of sleep he had. Only when he feels the other's hands run through his hair does he sigh heavily and loosen his grip. Letting Ittetsu out of his arms was painful to some level, but watching him go was always a pleasure.

"Is it clear?" Keishin yawns, sitting up in the bed when Takeda cracks open his door to check the hallway. He creeps outside, shutting the door behind him, leaving Keishin to his own devices for a few moments. He takes the opportunity to flip back down into the bed, shamelessly inhaling the scent that was purely Ittetsu; warm and thick, it floods Keishin's senses in the best possible way.

He hasn't noticed he's dozed off again until Takeda is suddenly at his side, shaking him gently.

"Keishin. They've gone to bed. Come on, Keishin." His voice is so soft and sweet it almost has Keishin reduced to putty in the his hands.

"No..." He groans, turning to wrap his arms around his boyfriend. "Take-chan..."

He feels fingers in his hair once more, combing across his scalp soothingly. "Ukai-kun." He purrs, "It's two-thirty. You have work in the morning."

Keishin groans. He does have work and he does need his sleep. Thankfully, it would be Saturday so there wouldn't be practice and he could catch up on his sleep with a mid-afternoon nap. Though it wouldn't be the same with out a warm body tucked against his side.

"I'll come visit you, too."

Keishin looks up with a sloppy grin, "Really?"

Takeda nods and tugs his hair gently, "Yes. But only if you go home right now."

Keishin sighs and begrudgingly swings his legs out of the bed and stands. "You drive a hard bargain." He mumbles, stretching his arms and cracking his back.

"I always keep my word, though."

"Mh-hm." Keishin leans down, pecking Takeda lips quickly, "I can't disagree there. It's actually pretty annoying sometimes, you can be really stubborn."

"Stubbornness is my merit!" Takeda says proudly, puffing out his chest.

"I'm sure that's what your mom tells you." Keishin chuckles, slipping his hand into Ittetsu’s as they walk to the door.

"It... Is? Is that a bad thing?" Ittetsu whispers when he pulls open the door. Keishin shakes his head and grins, squeezing his hand around Ittetsu's and he pulls him down the steps.

At the door, Takeda tugs Keishin around to press a burning kiss against his lips. It's all the unspoken words they both haven't figured out how to say, brought out between the gentle push of lips and tongues sweeping across each other. It's too soon that Ittetsu has pulled away, and Keishin chases him for another. Thankfully, he's granted with a chaste peck, but he's then being pushed at his shoulders.

"Go." Ittetsu says firmly. "You have to be up in four hours."

Keishin groans, but obliges, taking a step back. Briefly he squeezes Ittetsu's hand before turning to walk down the garden path. At the entrance of the gate, he turns his head back, grinning when he sees Takeda peering through the partially shut door. The other looks down bashfully before waving and shutting the door, leaving Keishin alone in the still morning.

When Keishin wakes the next morning, his limbs are sore and the scars from last night’s forsythia endeavors are bruised and throb painfully. He gets on with work though his movements are sluggish and he only really functions properly when he’s got a mug of black coffee in front of him. It was worth it though. He’d take having aching limbs and a sleep deprived mind if it meant he had gotten to have Ittetsu in his arms for a few hours the previous night.

Half way through his shift, something better than caffeine wakes him up, keeping all the aches and pains from earlier at bay with swift, stolen kisses from between the shelves of his mother's shop. Keishin’s anxious to get something other than a coffee cup in his hands, and when he’s finally free, his heart races to the beat of Ittetsu’s rhythm. All is forgotten when he kisses Ittetsu hungrily upstairs in his room and even the long awaited nap he’d been dreaming about is left by the wayside.

Eventually though, he does sleep, but only after he’s gotten his fill of Ittetsu. They lay side by side, and Keishin wonders how he’s lived without this. He wonders why it had taken him so long to figure this out. If he could, he would go back in time and beat sense into his former self only if it meant getting that much more time with Ittetsu.

He’s head over heels and has no intention of getting back on his feet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it!!! Thank you for reading, I hope I delivered the confused bi delinquent Ukai that you guys wanted. I have so much fun writing from Keishin's pov because I relate to being a confused queer disaster. thank you for the kudos and comments, I'll try to keep supplying the world with ukatake!


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